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Hetmyer, who didn’t play a single game at the 2024 T20 World Cup, retained his place in the squad

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2024Andre Russell will miss West Indies’ upcoming three-match T20I series at home against South Africa as he has “requested a period of rest and recovery,” according to Miles Bascombe, CWI’s director of cricket. Russell, 36, was part of West Indies’ run to the Super Eight during their home World Cup in June and was more recently in action for London Spirit in the Hundred.Russell and Jason Holder, who has also been rested for the T20Is will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team. Alzarri Joseph, who was West Indies’ vice-captain during the T20 World Cup and missed the Tests against South Africa, will continue to take time off.West Indies’ red-ball coach Andre Coley had laid out a long-term outlook with regards to Alzarri’s workload management in a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, “As far as Alzarri is concerned, it always helps to have a period of time away from the game to work on your individual skills, because you could get drawn into moving from one tournament to the next and might actually lose some of your skills.”So it’s building in the right amount of rest time where he does nothing, but then also have little periods where he is not in competition. That way he will be able to create more control around his bowling.”ESPNcricinfo LtdOpening batter Brandon King will also miss this series as he continues to recover from the side strain he had sustained during West Indies’ Super Eight fixture against England in June. King has not played a competitive game since. In his absence, Shai Hope could open the batting with Johnson Charles while rookie Alick Athanaze could also do a job at the top.Shimron Hetmyer, who didn’t feature in a single game at the 2024 T20 World Cup, retained his place in the squad. Hetmyer had last played a T20I for West Indies in December 2023.”Facing a strong South Africa side is an excellent opportunity for our team to reset and refocus with our game plan,” Daren Sammy, West Indies’ white-ball coach, said in a CWI statement. “We have played them recently and had mixed results, so this should be an exciting and important series. I’m confident in the squad we’ve selected, and with eyes already on the next T20 World Cup in 2026, I know the guys will be keen to show their hunger for success.”Along with Athanaze, allrounder Matthew Forde has been picked with an eye on the 2026 T20 World Cup. Forde can swing the new ball and hit sixes lower down the order and has flourished under Sammy at St Lucia Kings in the CPL.Spin-bowling allrounder Fabian Allen returned to the side, having missed the cut for the T20 World Cup. He will bolster a spin attack that already includes Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase. Allen had won the Lanka Premier League (LPL) with Jaffna Kings in July.The Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba will host all three T20Is, and will be part of double-headers with the WCPL.West Indies squad for SA T20IsRovman Powell (capt), Roston Chase (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

Sunderland have had some of the Premier League’s most iconic strikers down the years, but one man in particular has been praised as one of the best talents of his era.

No one at the Stadium of Light will forget the name Tommy Watson in a hurry regardless of how his move to Brighton pans out, but as the dust settles on a memorable campaign and that stunning late win at Wembley, the Black Cats must now turn their attentions to building a squad capable of surviving football’s toughest task.

Sunderland's promotion season in pictures

Regis Le Bris’ side were the lowest scorers in the Championship’s top six, with 58 goals to their name in 46 games, as Wilson Isidor (13) and Eliezer Mayenda (10) were their only players to score more than five league goals.

And it’s fair to say this is a club who have lived off the backs of great number nines down the years, with the likes of Jermain Defoe, Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn all thriving on Wearside.

1. Kevin Phillips

61

2. Jermain Defoe

34

3. Niall Quinn

29

4. Kenwyne Jones

26

5. Darren Bent

24

6. Steven Fletcher

23

7. Adam Johnson

19

8. Stéphane Sessègnon

17

9. Fabio Borini

14

10. Kieran Richardson

14

Many of the club’s most iconic moments have come from their front men, from Darren Bent’s famous ‘beach ball goal’ against Liverpool to Fabio Borini’s incredible late effort to sink Alan Pardew’s Newcastle.

But while no one comes close to “Super Kev” Phillips from a statistical standpoint, few would argue that Defoe is right up there alongside him as one of the most talented players to ever put on the red and white shirt, and England legend David Platt once revealed he may be even better than that.

Platt: Defoe was as good as Michael Owen and Luis Figo

Speaking about his time as Defoe’s manager in the England Under-21 set-up, Platt, who earned 62 caps for the Three Lions himself, once revealed a 19 year-old Defoe was one of the greatest talents he had ever seen.

Defoe scored 163 Premier League goals in total, placing him inside the division’s top ten and behind only six other Englishmen – Alan Shearer, Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Andrew Cole, Frank Lampard and Robbie Fowler.

While his longest spell in England’s top flight came with Tottenham Hotspur, some of his most iconic moments were produced in a Sunderland shirt, most notably that stunning strike against Newcastle at the Stadium of Light, and fans will also never forget his relationship with Bradley Lowery.

Defoe’s love for the club hasn’t waned either, as the 42 year-old was spotted at Wembley celebrating their promotion, also praising Le Bris for the impactful substitutions of Patrick Roberts and Watson: “We spoke before about the manager not panicking, and the substitution, Patrick Roberts came on and done his thing.”

Sunderland lining up centre-back signing who Van Dijk said is "outstanding"

He could be perfect for Regis Le Bris.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2025

It’s hard to imagine the likes of Isidor and Mayenda will be able to replicate the Englishman’s stunning influence in the North East, but the young Spaniard’s equalising goal against Sheffield United was certainly a good start.

تحددت المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم من قارة آسيا، بعد نهاية المرحلة الرابعة والنهائية للتصفيات الآسيوية، اليوم الثلاثاء.

وكانت 6 منتخبات حسمت التأهل بشكل مباشر من المرحلة الثالثة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم، وهي إيران وأوزبكستان وكوريا الجنوبية والأردن واليابان وأستراليا.

وتبقي مقعدين، للتأهل من قارة آسيا، حيث أقيمت المرحلة الرابعة النهائية، وتم تقسيم المنتخبات التي احتلت المركزين الثالث والرابع في المرحلة الثالثة، إلى مجموعتين من 6 منتخبات، كل مجموعة تضم 3 منتخبات، يتأهل المتصدر من كل المجموعة لاكتمال عدد المنتخبات من قارة آسيا.

وأقيمت مباريات المرحلة الرابعة بنظام الدوري من دور واحد، يتواجد في المجموعة الأولى كل من قطر والإمارات وعمان، بينما ضمت المجموعة الثانية السعودية وإندونيسيا والعراق.

وحسم منتخب قطر، تاهله من المجموعة الأولى لـ تصفيات كأس العالم، بعد تصدر ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من المرحلة الرابعة والنهائية برصيد 4 نقاط من فوز على الإمارات وتعادل مع عمان.

طالع | المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 (محدث باستمرار)

واستطاع منتخب السعودية، أن ينضم إلى المنتخبات الآسيوية المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم، بعد حسم صدارة المجموعة الثانية من المرحلة النهائية لـ تصفيات آسيا وذلك على حساب العراق بعد التعادل في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما مساء الثلاثاء 0-0. المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 من قارة آسيا

1- إيران

2- أوزبكستان

3- كوريا الجنوبية

4- الأردن

5- اليابان

6- أستراليا

7- قطر

8- السعودية

Also, what’s the highest ODI total without a fifty?

Steven Lynch22-Jan-2019South Africa lost a one-day international the other day despite losing only two wickets. Was this a record? asked Brian Taylor from England

South Africa made 266 for 2 in that match in Port Elizabeth last week, but still lost to Pakistan. This was the fifth time that a team lost an ODI despite losing only two wickets: the last one was also in South Africa, in Johannesburg in 2003-04, when West Indies lost despite amassing 304 for 2, with Chris Gayle making 152 not out. Pakistan lost a World Cup match against West Indies in Melbourne in 1991-92 despite scoring 220 for 2 (West Indies replied with 221 for 0, so only two wickets went down all day, although Brian Lara did retire hurt). The other instances were by India (183 for 2) against Pakistan in Sahiwal in 1978-79 (India conceded the match in protest at a barrage of short-pitched bowling), and by New Zealand (167 for 2) against Australia in Auckland in 1989-90 (they were behind the target score when rain ended the match).Two ODIs have been lost by a team losing only one wicket, although both of them were badly affected by rain. In the 1991-92 World Cup, Zimbabwe lost to India despite scoring 104 for 1 in Hamilton, as they were behind the target score when rain ended the match. And in Hambantota in 2013-14, Sri Lanka had scored 138 for 1 before a long rain delay; New Zealand were set a Duckworth-Lewis target of 198 in 23 overs, and got there off the last ball.MS Dhoni scored 193 runs in the three-match ODI series against Australia without a century. What’s the most in a three-match series where the batsman did not score a hundred? asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa

Surprisingly perhaps, Mahendra Singh Dhoni – who scored 51, 55 not out and 87 not out in the recent series in Australia – comes in quite a way down this particular list. Another Indian, Kris Srikkanth, leads, with 244 runs in the home series against Sri Lanka in 1981-82, when his scores were 57, 95 and 92. The New Zealand opener Martin Guptill hit 232 runs – 70, 77 and 85 – at home against Zimbabwe in 2011-12. Dhoni’s average of 193, however, is the highest in a three-match ODI series without a hundred, beating Ricky Ponting’s 186 for Australia in Zimbabwe in 1999-2000.Has there been a Test in which the team batting last required only one run to win? asked Anas from Pakistan

There have been seven Test matches in which the scores were level after three innings, so the side batting last had to come out and score one run to win. In two of those, someone hit a four to end the match – Sarfraz Nawaz for Pakistan against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1976-77, and Marcus Trescothick for England against West Indies at The Oval in 2004. When West Indies beat India by ten wickets in Bridgetown in 1982-83, the winning run was a no-ball from Syed Kirmani.Kris Srikkanth piled up 244 – 57, 92 and 95 – runs against Sri Lanka in 1981-82, the most in three ODIs without a century scored•Getty ImagesWhat’s the highest ODI total without a fifty? asked Brian Powell from England

The highest one-day international total without an individual half-century is England’s 285 against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in 2006, when the highest score was Andrew Strauss’ 45, unusually scored from No. 4. They beat the previous record, Pakistan’s 281 for 9 against West Indies in Adelaide in 2004-05, when the highest individual contribution was also 45, by Mohammad Yousuf.The record for Tests is England’s 315 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1985-86 (highest score 47 by David Gower), just ahead of South Africa’s 313 against England in Johannesburg in 2015-16 (Dean Elgar 46).Virat Kohli now has five international centuries at the Adelaide Oval. Is that a record for the most hundreds by a batsman at an overseas venue? asked Aditya Alok from India

Virat Kohli does indeed now have five international centuries at Adelaide Oval – three in Tests and two in one-day internationals, one of those being against Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup. The record for an away venue is seven centuries, by Saeed Anwar and Sachin Tendulkar in Sharjah (all in ODIs).England’s Jack Hobbs scored five centuries in Melbourne, all in Tests (a record), while Tendulkar collected five at both the Premadasa Stadium (four in ODIs) and the Sinhalese Sports Club (four in Tests) in Colombo. Younis Khan made six international centuries in Abu Dhabi and five in Dubai, while Misbah-ul-Haq scored five in Abu Dhabi – but most of those came while Pakistan were playing “home” matches in the UAE.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

da betobet： Tonight is set to be the the biggest nigh in Tottenham Hotspur’s season, if not the biggest this decade.

da apostebet： Ange Postecoglou and his side have the chance to make amends for their horrendous Premier League campaign and write their names into the history books by winning the Europa League tonight.

However, to do that, the North Londoners have to get past Reuben Amorim’s equally desperate Manchester United.

So, to ensure this team have the best chance of winning the club’s first piece of major silverware since 2008, Postecoglou must make some changes to the team who lost on Friday night, starting with Djed Spence.

Why Spence should be dropped

So the first thing to say is that throughout the season, Spence has probably been one of the few players who has increased his reputation.

His impressive blend of attacking and defensive abilities made him one of the team’s most effective players in the months after Christmas.

However, while the former Middlesbrough gem has started the last ten league games for the club, the team have been seriously poor in those matches.

Chalkboard

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For example, they’ve won only one, drawn two and lost the other seven, with the games away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Liverpool and Aston Villa being particularly underwhelming.

Moreover, while he wasn’t the worst offender at Villa Park, the 24-year-old was underwhelming at best, with the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick writing that it was another display demonstrating he’s ‘lost his mojo in the past month.’

So, with Postecoglou needing everyone to be at their very best tonight, he should take the Englishman out of the team and bring in Pedro Porro, who has shown his value in the last few European games.

For example, the “titanic” right-back, as dubbed by The Athletic’s former Spurs correspondent Charlie Eccleshare, scored a goal in the first leg of the quarter-final, picked up an assist in the first leg of the semi-final and then scored another goal in the second leg as well.

In all, while Spence is a talented player, he should be dropped for tonight’s game, as should several other players.

The other Spurs star who should be axed

Now, while there are several players you could make a case for dropping from Friday’s lineup for tonight, the most obvious one is Sergio Reguilon.

The 28-year-old left-back made just his second start and sixth appearance of the season against Aston Villa, and while he wasn’t utterly terrible, he didn’t do anything to suggest he should remain in the team.

For example, in 74 minutes of actions, the “ridiculous” full-back, as dubbed by Gary Neville, amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.05, was dribbled past twice, lost 75% of his ground duels, lost the ball 13 times, completed just 17 passes, misplaced all seven of his long balls, and failed in 100% of his dribbles.

Reguilon vs Villa

Minutes

74′

Expected Goals

0.05

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.00

Assists

0

Clearances

4

Dribbled Past

2

Ground duels (won)

4 (1)

Possession lost

13

Accurate passes

17/26 (65%)

Key passes

0

Crosses (accurate)

2 (1)

Long balls (accurate)

7 (0

Dribble attempts (successful)

1 (0)

All Stats via Sofascore

In short, it wasn’t a great showing from the former Real Madrid ace, and with tonight’s game being so important, he simply has to be dropped from the team.

Moreover, much like Porro on the right, the manager has made Destiny Udogie his go-to left-back in the Europa League in recent games, and it’s been a decision that’s paid off.

The team conceded just one goal in their last four games, and Alasdair Gold awarded the Italian with a 9/10 match rating following their incredible 1-0 win away to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ultimately, while Spence and Reguilon were not the worst players in the team on Friday night, neither one did anywhere near enough to break into Postecoglou’s European starting XI, and therefore, both must be dropped.

Related He'd send Tel packing: Spurs race to sign £19m "future ballon d'Or winner"

The incredible talent would be an unreal signing for Spurs.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 16, 2025

Sophia Dunkley must rediscover her rhythm and find her best cricket if she is to break back into the England side for this year’s T20 Women’s World Cup after being left out of the squad for home white-ball series against Pakistan.Dunkley was overlooked for both T20I and ODI squads for Pakistan’s visit, which starts with the first of three T20Is in Birmingham on May 11. Tammy Beaumont was only named in the ODI squad after regaining her T20I spot temporarily during the recent tour of New Zealand, where Maia Bouchier excelled to secure her place in the top order.Jon Lewis, England Women’s head coach, said Dunkley and Beaumont were still “very much in the conversation around who should be playing in the top three” at the World Cup, which – along with the No. 7 spot – remain the key places up for consideration ahead of the tournament in Bangladesh.”The message I have sent to Sophia is that I’d like to see her back playing her best cricket,” Lewis said. “When she’s playing her best cricket, she’s one of our best cricketers.Related

• Fit-again Sarah Glenn ready for Pakistan after concussion lay-off

• Bouchier's 91 powers England to series-clinching victory

• Bouchier targets World Cup opener's berth after breakthrough winter

• No surprises in Nida Dar-led Pakistan side for white-ball tour of England

“We’ve decided to try and give her the space away from the bigger limelight in terms of the Pakistan series in both ODI and T20 cricket to go and find some rhythm, go and find the rhythm of batting, get back to your best and then come back to us and see if you can make an impact again in international cricket.”I still have a really strong belief that Sophia’s got a big future playing for England. I think her talent is as incredible. She just needs a little bit of space to get back to her best cricket and work out how to cope with the situation she’s being put in.”Dunkley didn’t play in England’s last series at home, against Sri Lanka at the end of the 2023 summer, but subsequently toured India and New Zealand.In nine T20I innings since scoring a half-century against Australia in Birmingham last July, Dunkley has reached double-figures just three times and has not passed 32. She has played just one ODI since the Women’s Ashes, scoring 1 against New Zealand in Hamilton last month.Beaumont played her first T20Is in New Zealand since losing her spot following the 2022 Women’s Ashes, scoring 15, 19 and 37 before moving aside to accommodate Danni Wyatt’s late arrival from the WPL.”What I was really keen to do with Tammy and Dunks in particular was not to carry them around as spare batters, to give them the opportunities to play regional cricket and play some cricket rather than sitting on the bench as two experienced players,” Lewis said, adding that he was impressed with what he had seen from Beaumont upon her T20I return in NZ.England Women’s squads vs Pakistan•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Maia pushed her case more than Tammy at that point, and I think Maia deserves, from the performances she put in New Zealand, to hold onto her spot.”Having batted in the middle-order during limited England appearances over the previous two years, Bouchier was first promoted to open during Sri Lanka’s visit, where she scored a 65-ball 95 in the third ODI in Leicester.But it was during England’s 4-1 T20I series win in New Zealand that she made her claim at the top of the order. She batted at No. 3 in the first three matches, scoring 43 not out, 12 and 71, then made 91 from 56 balls after being promoted to open for the fourth match.”Maia has always been incredibly talented,” Lewis said. “The bit that I suppose Maia has struggled with in the past is putting regular big scores together. She’s starting to understand how to build bigger innings. The work that we’ve done with her in particular is around controlling emotion and controlling herself in the game and thinking tactically about how she’s going to play.”We haven’t done any technical work with Maia because my belief is her technique is really sound. It’s more around the mental approach to the game. She’s been working incredibly hard around that part of her game and she’s been working incredibly hard in training around how to train her brain to do things for longer. Now we’re seeing the benefit of that.”You combine that with a batter scoring runs and in good form and learning how to build innings and play at the right tempo and then you’ve got a crackerjack cricketer, and hopefully she can continue the form that she was on in New Zealand.”Maia Bouchier stamped her claim on a top-order spot•Getty Images

Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith kept her spot after returning to the England T20I line-up for the tour of New Zealand following an absence of nearly five years. She took one wicket from her two appearances there and now has eight wickets from four appearances in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy to sit joint-third on the competition list.Freya Kemp, who suffered a stress fracture in her back at the end of 2022 and a subsequent flare up, will play as a batter only after being chosen in the T20I squad but England hope to have her bowling and available for selection as an allrounder by the World Cup.Quick Issy Wong remains on the outer after irregular appearances for England amid some rhythm issues of her own.”She’s shown real improvement from where she was during last summer, and she’s working incredibly hard on her game,” Lewis said. “My view on Issy is that she just needs a period of time playing consistently and performing consistently to earn the right to come back into the England team.”Young cricketers, batters and bowlers, their form fluctuates and we are supporting her in and around her bowling. I am hopeful from what I’ve seen over the start of the summer that there’s some improvement there, but I still think she’s got a little way to go to show that she can play at this level consistently.”England identified a weakness batting against spin during last year’s visit by Sri Lanka, who upset the hosts by winning their T20I series. Lewis responded by holding training camps in Mumbai and he was pleased with how his team put what they had learned into practice during their 2-1 T20I series win against hosts India in December.Amid an increasingly packed schedule, England will head to Abu Dhabi to prepare for the T20 World Cup.”We’ll try and recreate, as best we can, conditions that we will face,” Lewis said. “Bangladesh is a pretty unique place to play cricket and unfortunately in India at that time of year, the places where the wickets are particularly similar, it is rainy season, so we won’t be able to get into India to do that.”I’ve been impressed with the way the girls have been trying to develop their game. We know it’s going to be a big part of that competition and we’re talking about it and we’re working on it and we’re trying to improve our game against spin. In our series against India, and in the T20 series against India in particular, I thought we showed some real signs of improvement there. Very different conditions in New Zealand, and at times we played the spinners very, very well, so I think there is progress.”Fitting in another block of overseas preparation before the tournament will likely mean that the vast majority of players heading to the World Cup don’t won’t travel to Ireland for three ODIs and three T20Is in September.”We’ll use the depth of our squads to play those games,” Lewis said. “It’ll be a real challenge for sure, but we’ve got 21 contracted players. There’s always players that miss out on World Cup selection and there’s always players that are pushing for selection underneath.”At some point we have to try and work out where our highest priority areas are and how do we fit all those things into our schedule so we’ll be trying to balance that and balance everyone’s workload and balance everyone’s preparation through that period.”England Women T20I squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni WyattEngland Women ODI squad: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt

Legspinner Rishad Hossain and batsmen Anamul Haque and Pinak Ghosh impress in the third round of action

Mohammad Isam30-Oct-2019After the players’ strike pushed back the third round of the National Cricket League by a day, Rajshahi Division clinched a low-scoring thriller against Rangpur Division, beating them by six runs in Cox’s Bazar, despite three of their regulars being taken away – two to the national team and one for a trial with new spin-bowling coach Daniel Vettori – midway through the match. And across in Rajshahi, Chittagong Division registered their first win of the season, beating Sylhet Division by nine wickets.Best batsmenAnamul Haque became the season’s first batsman to score centuries in each innings of a match. The Khulna Division batsman started with a steady 126 off 224 balls that included ten fours and five sixes, before hitting eight sixes and nine fours in his 151 off 225 balls in the second innings against Dhaka Division.Chittagong’s 20-year-old Pinak Ghosh made his maiden first-class century, hitting two sixes and 16 fours in his 83-ball 100 against Sylhet. Mohammad Ashraful, playing for Barisal Division this season, also made a ton against Dhaka Metropolis in a rain-affected game in Bogra. Ashraful made 150 off 204 balls with 16 fours.Best bowlersLegspinner Rishad Hossain took a five-wicket haul for Rajshahi before he was taken away to the capital to show off his skills to Vettori (Sabbir Rahman and Taijul Islam got national-team call-ups). Veterans Sunzamul Islam and Saqlain Sajib, however, didn’t let Rishad’s absence matter much, as their five-fors clinched them the hard-fought win over Rangpur.Khulna offspinner Mahedi Hasan finished with match figures of 9 for 138 against Dhaka Division, while seamers Irfan Hossain and Mehedi Hasan Rana took five-wicket hauls for Chittagong. Sylhet pacer Abu Jayed was also impressive, returning 4 for 86 against Barisal.Best matchRangpur took a 73-run first-innings lead after they were bowled out for 274 runs. Rajshahi then made 190 in their second innings with an important contribution from Sunzamul, who top-scored with 36 from No. 8. Then he came out to sizzle through the Rangpur line-up, taking 5 for 48 while Saqlain took 5 for 35.Points tableKhulna remain on top of the Tier 1 points table with 17.25 points, but Rajshahi’s win got them into second place with 13.11 points. Chittagong have replaced Barisal on the top of Tier 2, now leading with 16.42 points, ahead by 1.8 points.Players to watchAnamul’s twin tons would do enough to keep him in the selectors’ attention if a replacement is needed in India. Jayed, who was retained in the Test squad, showed improvement with a four-wicket haul, while Rishad’s five-for is also encouraging, but he needs time in the middle.

Mikel Arteta will no doubt plead caution surrounding the signing of any new centre-forward this summer, with it not a guarantee that such a move will instantly propel Arsenal to long-awaited Premier League glory.

Indeed, it is not only through the middle where reinforcements are required, with an upgrade on the left flank also seemingly needed with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scoring just ten top-flight goals between them this term.

That said, fans and pundits alike are craving a statement acquisition of a new striker after what looks set to be another second-place finish in the league, with the Gunners having also come up short in the previous two campaigns.

Not since the summer of 2022 have the club forked out for a new number nine, albeit with even Gabriel Jesus not exactly an out-and-out centre-forward, particularly considering much of his work came on the right flank during his prior stint at Manchester City.

With the Brazilian having since been ravaged by injury – with Kai Havertz also currently sidelined – there is a real dearth of reliable options at the Emirates, a fact epitomised by Mikel Merino’s recent shift into a makeshaft target man.

Whether it is the difference between winning the league or not, the Gunners simply must sign a striker. If recent reports are anything to go by, the search has already started.

Latest on Arsenal's striker search

The leading target for the north London side remains that of Alexander Isak, although question marks remain over just how feasible a deal would be for the in-form Swede, considering Newcastle United’s £150m asking price.

With that in mind, the Gunners appear to be looking elsewhere in their extensive search, with Football Transfers naming Bologna’s Santiago Castro as a potential summer option.

As per the report, it is Arteta who is said to be ‘personally pushing’ to seal the signing of the young Argentine, with the Arsenal boss believed to be a ‘huge admirer’ of the promising forward.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

While the piece does mainly focus in on Arsenal’s parallel interest in Atletico Madrid starlet, Adrian Nino, the Spaniard appears more of a project signing, considering he only made his first-team debut for the LaLiga side in January.

Castro, meanwhile, may only be 20 himself, although amid a promising campaign in Serie A, he has seemingly caught the attention of Arteta as someone who could come in and make an instant impact at the Emirates.

Perhaps, he could well follow in the footsteps of a certain Alexis Sanchez in an Arsenal shirt…

Why Castro would be a good signing for Arsenal

While the Gunners did actually pluck Sanchez from Barcelona back in 2014, the Chilean did mirror his fellow South American by initially plying his trade in his homeland with Cobreloa, before then making his name in Italy at Udinese.

The now veteran forward – who has ended up back at the Italian outfit in the twilight of his career – notably scored 12 goals and provided a further ten assists in the 2010/11 Serie A season, before being poached by Barca, having typically operated as a centre-forward or second striker.

Castro, meanwhile, has followed a similar path after starting out in his native Argentina with Velez Sarsfield – for whom he scored nine goals in 64 games – prior to making the switch to Bologna last year, going on to score eight times and register four assists in Italy’s top flight in 2024/25.

Castro’s 24/25 Serie A stats
Stat (*per game)	Record
Games (starts)	29 (25)
Goals	8
Assists	4
Goal frequency	266 mins
Big chances missed	6
Big chances created	3
Key passes*	0.9
Touches*	27.1
Stats via Sofascore

Now valued at around €30m (£26m), according to reports in January, Castro is well on course to emulating Sanchez’s final season at Udinese, with now perhaps the chance for Arsenal to pounce – rather than signing him later down the line, like they did with Sanchez.

Having been described as the “complete forward” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 6 foot machine does mirror the ex-Arsenal man in also being able to feature on the flanks, ensuring he could also rival the likes of Martinelli and Trossard in that left-wing berth.

Not just an “instinctive finisher”, in the words of Mattinson, the Buenos Aires native may also prove a valuable addition due to his innate link-up play, as shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 10% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion.

A composed presence both in possession and in front of goal, Castro could certainly be worth taking a punt on. With Arsenal having seen the success of signing Sanchez, amid his return of 124 goals and assists in just 166 games for the club, the capture of a potential successor will hopefully prove just as fruitful.

With 20 goals and assists in 46 games for Bologna since signing back in January 2024, the 20-year-old could well be a wildcard solution.

Arsenal hold early talks to sign £50m striker likened to Neymar and Mbappe

He’s compared to two of world football’s most iconic superstars of recent years.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 28, 2025

Contracts have been the talking point around Liverpool football club in recent months, with three of Arne Slot’s key players out of contract at the end of the season.

Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah have all been regular starters this campaign, but all three of the stars’ current deals are set to expire in June.

However, there has been progress with the Dutchman and Egyptian, with the pair both set to sign new deals until the summer of 2027 – undoubtedly a huge boost to their ambitions for Premier League glory next season.

As for Trent, he looks set to depart and join Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the season, ending his 20-year affiliation with his boyhood club, to the disappointment of the fanbase.

Such a departure could leave a huge hole in the first-team backline, but it appears the hierarchy have wasted no time in landing a player who could potentially fill any void next campaign.

Liverpool set to make £85m bid for defensive star

According to one Spanish outlet, Liverpool are set to make a €100m (£85m) summer bid for Barcelona star Ronald Araujo in an attempt to strengthen the defensive department.

The 26-year-old has made 16 appearances across all competitions, notching four combined goals and assists, being able to feature in a centre-back or right-back role.

The Uruguayan international has had an injury-hit campaign, but has still managed to impress, as seen by the Reds’ willingness to fork out big-money for his signature.

The report claims that the opportunity to play in England’s top flight could be too good to turn down, but that it will be up to the LaLiga outfit whether they want to part ways with Araujo.

It may be a huge investment from the hierarchy, but it would be a worthwhile one for Slot’s side – especially if his figures from the current campaign are anything to go by.

Why Araujo is the perfect Van Dijk & Trent hybrid for Liverpool

The Reds’ backline is in need of investment with Trent’s pending departure and Andy Robertson’s decline in recent months, making this summer vital for Slot.

Van Dijk has often been the shining light within the back four over the last few years, with his performances helping the side win five major honours since his move in January 2018.

However, he’s often lacked that partner at the heart of the defence, with Ibrahima Konate prone to a mistake, as seen during last weekend’s defeat against Fulham.

Araujo could provide that fellow world-class option the club have been searching for, with current boss Hansi Flick labelling the Uruguayan international as “one of the best in the world”.

His ability to feature at right-back too could make him an option to cover should Trent leave, producing figures better than the aforementioned pair in numerous key areas.

Defensively, Araujo has outperformed the current Reds stars, winning more tackles per 90, whilst also coming out on top in more aerials – offering that added solidity they’ve been hunting for as of late.

Games played

16

28

31

Goals & assists

4

8

2

Pass accuracy

93%

74%

92%

Tackles won

1.3

1

0.5

Aerials won

3.9

0.2

3.2

Shot-on-target accuracy

67%

18%

32%

Passes completed per game

90

63

74

In possession, he’s been just as impressive, completing more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst also achieving a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – highlighting the quality he possesses at both ends of the pitch.

Whilst it may be another huge fee to spend on a new signing, it’s one that could provide added quality into the backline, further strengthening Slot’s chances of winning trophies on Merseyside.

It’s unclear whether Barça would be open to selling one of their key players, but it’s evident that from the stats he’s produced in 2024/25, he would be a superb addition – partnering Van Dijk and softening the blow of Trent’s pending departure.

£70m PL star wants to sign for Liverpool & he'd be a better move than Isak

Liverpool may decide to make a move for a player who would be a better addition than Alexander Isak.

1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 9, 2025

The South Africa captain flayed 102 off 63 balls as she and Marizanne Kapp dominated Sri Lanka

Firdose Moonda27-Mar-2024

Laura Wolvaardt celebrates her maiden T20I hundred•Getty Images

Laura Wolvaardt struck her first T20I century as South Africa racked up their second-highest total in the format to start their series against Sri Lanka in emphatic fashion. They won the opening fixture of the three-match series by 79 runs, after posting 198 for 5 and bowling Sri Lanka out for 119 in the first meeting between these two sides since the last T20 World Cup.On that occasion, South Africa lost to Sri Lanka in the tournament opener but went on to reach the final, and since then, the teams have faced contrasting fortunes. South Africa have played ten completed T20Is and lost seven; Sri Lanka have played 12 matches and won seven. But, recent form counted for nothing when Sri Lanka sent South Africa in to bat on a flat Benoni pitch.Tazmin Brits was dismissed in the third over and Marizanne Kapp sent in to No.3, and made the most of the opportunity for more time in the middle. Wolvaardt and Kapp shared a second-wicket stand of 116.Kapp recorded her fourth half-century in the format in an innings laced with cut shots but it was Wolvaardt who took centre stage, with 12 fours and three sixes, including a gorgeous hit over extra cover. She reached fifty off 39 balls and a hundred off 61 to finish with a strike rate of 161.90 – well above her career strike rate of just over 111.18.The only real disappointment from the South African innings was the run-out of Sune Luus, who was playing in her 115th T20I – the most by any South African – but had an outing to forget. Luus left the field in the second over of Sri Lanka’s innings after she dug her knee into the turf while chasing a ball to the boundary. She returned in the fifth over.Sri Lanka used six bowlers, all expensive, and Achini Kulasuriya was the most successful. Her 2 for 39 included the wickets of Wolvaardt and Kapp, consolation for a poor fielding effort. Both Wolvaardt and Kapp were dropped in their innings – Wolvaardt in the 60s and Kapp in the 20s, and they made Sri Lanka pay.Sri Lanka have never scored above 182 in a T20I, let alone chase that much and they suffered a massive early setback as they began their task. Kapp had Chamari Athapaththu caught behind off the final ball of the opening over, with a delivery that shaped away and took the edge. Kapp bowled only two overs as Wolvaardt shared the workload around either side of a rain break.Sri Lanka’s innings was interrupted after seven overs, with their score on 48 for 2, but no overs were lost. On resumption, they needed 151 runs in 13 overs and only Harshita Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera, who scored 38 and 30 respectively, and put on 44 runs for the third wicket gave them any chance. Sri Lanka were bowled out inside 19 overs to give South Africa a series lead.